Rocky Mountain’s Casey MacMaster came through with the perfect ending Saturday winning the Class 5A, No. 1 singles title at the Gates Tennis Center in Denver.

MacMaster, a junior, defeated Loveland’s Alex Clinkenbeard, 6-2, 6-4, to cap an undefeated season at 26-0. As for Clinkenbeard, he was perfect this season against every other opponent except MacMaster finishing with a 21-4 record. All four losses are to MacMaster and came in their regular-season match, at their league meet, regional and state.

It was nearly a perfect day for Cherry Creek, which had wrapped up the team championship Friday and had sent six positions into the finals. The Bruins, in winning their 35th championship in the last 38 years, came away with five titles while scoring 72 points.

Regis, with one championship in hand, finished second with 46 points while George Washington was third with 32.

It was the second singles championship for MacMaster, who won the No. 3 singles title when he was a freshman. And, he was second last year in the No. 2 spot.

MacMaster broke on top quickly in the first set against the Loveland junior, who was making his first state tournament appearance. MacMaster zipped to a 4-0 advantage, before taking the first set 6-2.

“The first set I came out ready to play and he was a little nervous not having been in a state final before,” MacMaster said. “He caught on in the second set and made me play, lifting his game up. I had a little trouble closing out my break-point chances and if I could have converted it would have made the set a little easier.”

Indeed, Clinkenbeard came back strong in the second set and was able to hold serve until the eighth game, which he dropped in a deuce effort.

MacMaster was certainly at his best on his serves as he missed getting the first one in only 12 times. And, he also served up seven aces. From there, it was just a matter of getting to the net.

“I knew that Alex was going to try and come up from the baseline and push me with his shots,” MacMaster said. “I watched his match (Friday) with Mads (Hegelund of George Washington) and he beat him at the baseline. I figured I would not beat him from the baseline so I came in wanting to put the pressure on him to come up with the shots.”

Clinkenbeard was more than pleased to have reached the state championship final. However there were portions of his game with which he was disappointed.

“My serve percentage was not what I needed it to be,” said Clinkenbeard, who had 39 first serves go array and double-faulted six times. “That is something I need to work on. Unfortunately I didn’t get too many first ones in right away. Casey kept me back and I tried to ground stroke the ball from the baseline.

“I should have tried to get to the net more. He is so big and so hard to pass I definitely don’t want him at the net. At 6-5, he has that long reach and that’s trouble.”

Except for a loss at No. 3 doubles, it was a solid day for Cherry Creek and coach Kirk Price.

Taylor Sargent won at No. 2 singles beating George Washington’s Simon Hegelund, 6-4, 6-2 to close out his junior season with a 22-1 record. Connor Macey won at No. 3, defeating Mark Miller of Regis, 6-3, 6-1. That capped a 22-0 season for Macey.

“(Hegelund) played really well today and I knew I had to come out strong,” said Sargent, a junior who was a state champion at No. 4 doubles last season. “The last time we played, I lost to him so a little revenge is sweet.

“I was just relaxed today and knew I could win if I just stayed relaxed and followed through on my shots, and kept my composure. It was sweet winning the team title as everyone worked so hard. We have a couple of first-time champions, a couple of others who have won and had the great feeling. But this is one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.”

Macey was all smiles as he closed out his career at Cherry Creek with his third state title. He had won at No. 3 doubles in 2006 and at No. 2 doubles last season.

“It was almost picture perfect, pretty much what we wanted to do,” Macey said. “We found out (Friday) that we had clinched the team title and that takes a lot of pressure off everyone. Individually, we could let it rip out there. It was my last match in high school and I wanted to go out on the right terms. I did just that.”

Price had that relived look on his face after his Bruins closed out the season.

“It was a great day for our boys,” Price said. “The tough thing for any coach is when you have someone lose. It is very difficult and takes a little luster off it. But winning five out of six is pretty good, we don’t do that usually.

“The kids stepped up and performed. This tournament has been a great tournament and it’s wonderful to have all these people who help out, see all the alumni and fans.”

The Regis No. 3 doubles team was the one to upset the apple cart, so to speak. The duo of Alex Gnaegy and Luke Kiniry defeated Cherry Creek’s Scott Rothbarth and Jack Robinson, 6-1, 7-5.

Cherry Creek’s Zach Chernow and Joel Lowinger won their second state titles, but this season with each other at No. 1 doubles. The Bruins defeated Fairview’s Cass Krughoff and Blake Wetherbee, 6-4, 6-3. Chernow had won at No. 2 doubles last season, Lowinger at No. 4. Krughoff, by the way, was a fourth-place finisher last season at No. 1 doubles.

The Bruins won the No. 2 doubles title behind the efforts of Brian Maierhofer and Reid Spitz, who defeated Fairview’s Christopher Cartwright and Will Lindsay, 6-1, 6-4.

Both Fairview players were coming off state finishes from last season, Lindsay second at No. 3 doubles and Cartwright third at No. 4 doubles.

Cherry Creek closed out its championship run at No. 4 doubles. Ben Halvorson and Jordan Beberfeld defeated Jordan Brisch and Will Woodward of Regis, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 for the title.

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